Design for a sepulchral monument; verso: Design for a sepulchral monument 1686 - 1724

Pieter Verbruggen the Younger created this design for a sepulchral monument in pen and brown ink with gray wash and red chalk on paper. Verbruggen worked in the Baroque style, a movement used to reinstate the power of the Catholic Church through dramatic, emotive, and magnificent displays. Hailing from Antwerp, then part of the Spanish Netherlands, his designs reflect the grand, Catholic vision of death that was prevalent in the region. Notice how the sepulchral monument seems to almost perform the act of mourning, demonstrating the emotional power of the Baroque. The design, with its cherubic figures and ornate details, elevates the deceased to an almost saintly status. The use of red chalk adds warmth to the design, intensifying the emotional appeal. These monuments, steeped in religious and cultural significance, became powerful visual tools for shaping perceptions of death, memory, and social standing.